Oiling system



W. A EDWARDS,

OILING SYSTEM. APFUCATION HLED'MAR.21. 1'921.

Patent/ed Sept. 5, 1922.

l st-canted Sept. 5, lfifi.

WILLIAM a: .nnwnnns,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR or TEN enacnn'r TU IRA J. VIILON, AND ONE-HAL TO CHARLES E. 'REED, BOTH OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

Application filed March 21, 1921.

To aZ-Z whom it may concern; I

. Be it known that I. lVILmAM A. ltnwnnns,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Oiling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to own;- systems, and more particularly to systems to applicable to gas engines.

, Ford cars and many other makes of automobiles rely for their engine lubrication uponwhat is known as a splash system of oiling, and with such a system. it is highly is desirable to maintain a definite, predetermined oil. level in the crank case. for it'the level becomes too low, the engine sullers from insullicient lubrication. and it the oil level is too high, too much oil is thrown into the cylinders beneath the pistons, where it works up around the rings, causing carbon deposits on the cylinderwalls and in the combustion chamber, and also resulting in fouling of the spark plugs. The most efiicienta nd desirable operation ot' the engine. can be secured only when the oil in the crank case is maintained at a definite predetermined level, but in actual practice, this de-' sideratum has been. so liar as I am aware. unattainable, since if the crank caseis filled before starting the run only to the desired. level, the oil will soon tall below that level and will continue to diminish in quantity until at the end of the long' run the motor is receiving insuilicient lubrication. On the other hand, should suilicieut oil be supplied to the crank case to insure lubricatioi'i throughout a long run, there will o'l ue cessity be aconsiderable surplus at the be- 1: ginning of the run. which is objectionable tor the reasons heretofore stated.

One oi the primary purposes of my present invention is to provide a system which will automatically maintain the oil in the crank case at a desired predetermined level. which is most conducive to cllicicnt and satisfactory pcri 'orniam'c ot' the motor Another purpose of my invention is to provide a systenrwhich will automatically 0 take care of variations in the oh level resulting from elevation or depression oi the front end of the motor, as in ascending or Serial No. 454,274.

descending hills and grades, and with this purpose in view, my invention is designed When the engine is going downhill, to admit to the crank case. additional quantities to insure lubrication of the engine and adjacent'parts, and when the level of the engine is again restored. will withdraw from the crank case this additional oil. which is then undesirable surplus, and will store it ina reservoir for future use, when required. furthermore, in ascending: a grade or bill, which causes the front end of the engine to, be elevated, the oil accumir lates in the rear portion of the crank case, with the result that not infre piently, the forward cylinders receive so little lubrication that injury to the motor occurs. My invention, the surplus from the rear of the crank case, under these conditions, and to return it to the forward portion ot the crank case so that the forward cylinders will always receive sutlicient lubrication, whilethe rear portion of the crank case is relieved from any abnormal and undesirable high oil level.

(lthcr objects and many of the attendant advantages of my invention should he readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood, by reference to the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

let'erring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a equipped with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view. somewhat diagrammatic in character, of the con struction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of one pipe connection to the oil-reservoir; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing; the connection of one of the pipes to the crank case and the valve with which it is equipped. i

()n the drawings, reference character 5 indicates generally the. crank case, (3 the c vl inder block, and T, the intake maui'lold ot a gas engine of any well known or preferred type, that illustrated being the engine coinmouly used in a Ford autonjiobile where the crank case also houses the transn'iission and brake mechanisms. The crank case in this instance is as usual provided at its bottom gas engine oil in sullicientv however. is designed to withdra v poseo within me reservoir.

tioii, and the approximate (lesirehle oil le for an engine o this character is ineieeted by the dotted h designated by referei'ice character For the purpose of carrying re surplus of lubricating oil which delivered to the crank case as required,

'mount in some convenient location at a higher level. than the crank ease, and in the present instance upon the clash. board 11 of the car under the hood of the engine, reser voir l2 suppoi'iecl by a bracket 10, or other convenient means of support. This reser veil is preferably equipped in an oil gauge or indicator of preferred COR" struobion the form shown for purposes of illustration comprising an indicator finger 13 adapted to travel over a seale 13, he indicator he' 1;; controliecl by ii fioiit dis- This inch-2mm", e5 shown (lisposerl on the rear face of the dash hoard, Where it may be ohser i by the driver. Any other form of get may he employed, preferred.

The oil reservoir is connected with the intake man old 7 of the engine by a pipe 14 through which suction is exerted upon the reservoir i0 create a vacuum, or partial vacuum therein, and the rapidity with which the vacuum will he produced is determined by a. restricted passage 15 in the connection between the reservoir and ihe pipe 1 2-, shown in 3.

Oil is delivered from this reservoir into.

the crank (59. A, throu 'h a pipe or tuhe 16, which may i: connected to the crank at any point between the front and rear ends thereof below the desired oil level therein, but preferably, it oozmeete l at the forward end of the crank. ease so that when the our ascending a steep grade, which causes the oil to flow to the rear end oi -the emnh case. leaving the pockets 8 unsuppiiml Wiih oil. the oil delivered from the reservoir to the 'il'irwaiwl end of the crank will flow into mese pockets and hereby insure adequate lubrication of the. connecting rmls and hearings. in order to preveni the breaking oi" the vacuum in the reservoir induced through the pipe 14, when the em ascending a grade thatlhe i'lelivery eiul pipe 16 will h uncovered, i prefer to equip this end of 1 pipe Wiih a shack valve 1?, which will permit flow of oil. from the reservoir to the creek case. but will piecluile return flow oi? oil OF. of air from theeranh ease into the reservoir.

Another pipe or tube 18 is connected 21%:

lmv the connection, the inner end pipe 18 1S iirefei'uhiy dminiuruevl, es imhcatel in;

19 so that the exposed eml is uisqiosed ill horizontal plane.

in the operation. of my system. the crank case is filled with se eral quar o1. surpius i1, and as soon. as the eiwue started, the

m 'mcuum pm zi'uceil in ihe reservoir 1:; through the pipe 1% from ihe intake manifold T will draw this surplus from vihe crank upweirdly through the pipe l5 into ihe voila, 'l'he oi the parts being so proportioned That this surplus will all he drawn into the reservoir within re 3 few seconds after the engine is started. is soon the oil level in the reservoir has been reiiueeri io the desired level M which point the exposed end of the pipe .15 will he uncov mefli in: w enter this pipe from the i i-2m .1. cu e, thus breaking the vacuum in the reservoir l2, whereupon will begin to W to the eimih cese'ihnfiugh the pipe ii? the l of tile pipe [28 is again cow By thus alternately xyvifilulrziwiug oil from fihe crank ease into the resevvoir and returning it from the reservoir to ihe creel; case, ii. constant oil level in the crank is Infill l'uined, and the amount oil. surplus oil which will automaiiealiy he (leli'verol to the erunlz (use as required, can always be determined the dr ver by SlHIIJi}? observing the gauge finger 13.

i'i' lien the ear is ascemiilig'e, M 10 grade, the oil level 'll be lowered in fihe forward eml oi the cram} case and 1'" "ed in t e Y-QJi end, but instezu of peril ll. mg on uu lesi1rably high level to ac emulate in the rear end. this surplus is taken heel: inho he reservoir and returned to the forward and. of the (rank ihrnugl: the pipe iii thus insur ing am ilk-quakesupplyof in the pocheis H to provide suiliviezm luhixm 'ion for the engine. When the engine uipgied with an oil ('llljlliilllll'l j system which delivers: to ihe forward part of the crank ease time keeping the forward parts supplied fi'llei'i ascending grarles, the pipe 1 3 may he eon iieoteiil Co the rear portion oi :ihe to insure lubrication of toe brake end transmission hands and oiher mechzmiems when i43- scemling steep grades.

Mv invention possesses the further advantage that when the en ne is laboring heov ily at slow speed with she throttle open, ihe vacuum in the manifold and CORSQqllQlif/iy in. the in permiiiecl a0 how by reservoir into the crank V rvit v from The case thereby are lee ating a surplus cation of the cylinders when otherwise the slowly moving cranks would fail. to splash suthc-ient oil. Furthermore, when the motor is stopped, all the oil will drain into the crank case, creating a desirable surplus which will be splashed against the dry cyl inder walls vwhich have also drained oii' while the motor was idle. thereby insuring immediate lubrication of the walls as soon.v

as the motor is started.

t is believed that my invention, and many of its inherent advantages will be understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should be manifest that the device is extremely simple in construc tion, is not liable to get out of order, is cheap to manufacture and easy to install, and while I have shown ferred embodiment thereof, obviously, my invention may be embodied in structures ditfering materially in their details from that shown and described, without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An oiling system, comprising an oil an oil surplus. reservoir, a pipe in continuous communication with said reservoir through which suction is continuously exerted upon said reservoir, a pipe connected with said reservoir through which'oil is de livered from said reservoir when vacuum therein is broken, and a pipe connected with said reservoir througl'i which the vacuum in said reservoir is controlled by the oil level in said case,

9,. The combination with a engine, including a crank ease and an intake inanii'old, of a surplus oil reservoir, a connection between said manifold and said reservoir for exerting" a continuous suction thereon, a connection between the bottom of said reservoir and said crank case for delivering oil to the crank case, and a connection between the upper portion of said reservoir and said crank case the desired oil level therein through which oil will be withdrawn from the crank case into said reservoir when the oil level in the crank case covers said connection and through which the vacuum in said reservoir \vill be relieved when the oil. level in the crank is below said connection.

23. The combination with a gas engine, ineluding! a crank case and an intake manifold, of a surplus oil reservoir, a connection between said reservoir and said crank case below the desired oil level in the crank case, a second connection between said reservoir and said crank case at the desired, oil level therein through which air or oil will be drawn iron the crank case into the reservoir to maintain said desired oil level in the crank case, and a connectionbetween said reservoir whichinsures adequate lubriand described pre-' and said manifold through which. suction is continuously applied to the reservoir.

l, The combination with a gas engine. of an oil reservoir, a pipe for delivering oil from said reservoir to the crank case of the engine. a pipe establishing communication between the upper portion of said reservoir and the crank case at the desired oil level therein, and means for exerting a continuous suction upon said reservoir.

5. The combination with a gas engine, of an oil reservoir, a pipe establishing communication between the upper portion of said reservoir and said crank case at the desired oil level therein, a pipe for delivering oil from said reservoir to sail crank case, and means for continuously exerting a suction upon said reservoir.

6. The combination with a gas engine including a crank case and an intake manifold. of a. surplus oil reservoir, a pipe through which continuous communication. is established between the upper portion of said reservoir and said manifold, pipe com municating with the upper portion of said reservoir and with said crank case at the desired oil level therein through which pipe suction is exerted from said reservoir upon said crank case, and an oil delivery pipe leading from the lower portion of said reservoir to said crank case below the desired oil level therein through which oil is delivered-from said reservoir to said crank case when the vacuum in said reservoir is broken through said suctio n pipe,

7. The combination with a gas engine. comprising a crank case, of a closed surplus oil reservoir, means for delivering oil from. said reservoir to said crank case to establish a predetermined level therein, and independent means for returning; excess above said predetermined level to said reservoir.

8. The combination with a gas engine, including a crank case, of a surplus oil reservoir, a vacuum producing pipe connected therewith, a connection between the crank at the desired oil level therein and said reservoir through which oil or air is drawn into the reservoir from the crank case by the suction exerted upon said reservoir, and second connection between a lower portion of the crank case and the reservoir through which oil delivered from the reservoir to the crank case upon a rec in the reservoir.

9, The combination with a gas engine including a crank case, of a surplus oil reservoir, means for exerting a continuous suction thereon, a connection between the lower portion of said reservoir and the lower portion of said crank case through which oil flows from the reservoir to said crank case when vacuum in the reservoir is broken, and a connection between the upper portion of said reservoir and the crank case at the deluction of vacuum .ull'fid oil level therein through which the of oil at the desired oil level to lie/main rafiuuni in ilie reservoir is controlled by the mined, and a second pipe eonnectecl at one 10 oil level in the crank case. end with the lower portion of said reservoir 1%), in article of nmnufaccure, comprising and designed to communicate at its other an oil reservoii; a suction pipe connected. end with said. body of oil below said desired filiereuo, a pipe r-oiinectei'l at one end 0 the level,

upper. portion 01" said reservoir and designed to communicate at its other end with a body WIl'JLIAM A. EDlVARDS. 

